


Bend Until You Break

by Multifandomfuckfest



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 19:51:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3221285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandomfuckfest/pseuds/Multifandomfuckfest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few unseen scenes between Joe's trial.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bend Until You Break

Ellie Miller was drunk. There was no denying it. As she sat here on the stool fliting with someone who was half her age Ellie was sure of one thing. That last drink was one too many. “Come on,” urged Claire tugging Ellie’s arm to follow outside, “let’s get chips. Chips are always great when pissed,” she slurred as Ellie caught herself trying to stand upright. What in hell had possessed her to wear heals?

She followed them out onto the boardwalk trying to keep an eye on Claire while prospect number two put his arm around her in his own attempt to take one for the team. Bloody hell she could hardly stand straight let alone walk. Why did she let Hardy talk her into this?

As Claire approached she grabbed a chip off, munching it down in hopes that the grease from this singular starch would be able to stave off the alcohol that was now mixing with her blood at a different level. Sitting Claire shoved the copious amounts of chips in her mouth. Much like Fred would have done if he were here. Batting away prospect number one’s hand as he tried to steal one. “Come on now. Are we really doing this,” Ellie needed to know. She hoped they weren’t that this was just a bit of fun they were having before jumping in a taxi and scurrying off. “I don’t think I can do it,” she admitted Claire laughing at her confession. “Can we get rid of them,” she pushed, “my flat is lousy,” Ellie continued trying to put a kibosh on the situation.

“We’re going to mine,” mumbled Claire mouth full of chips.

Wobbling as she leaned back Ellie shook her head. This was ridiculous. Taking her phone out she glanced at the time. Half past eleven. Bollocks! She hadn’t been out this late since working the Latimer case. Dialing the familiar number she pressed send waiting for him to answer. “Yeah,” Hardy greeted. 

“I drank much more than I mean to,” she announced. No, that wasn’t what she meant to say.

“Miller,” he questioned surprised by her abruptness. Clearly unsure what to make of the situation, “are you drunk,” he worried.

Nodding her reply Ellie swallowed hard, “I wish you would have,” she blurted into the phone.

There was a beat before Hardy answered, “what,” he asked his voice softening.

“I wished you would have kissed me,” Ellie confessed only then realizing how out of the blue this must seem. “Last night. When you said it,” she quickly added starting to feel self-conscious at his ever growing quiet. 

The silence at the other end was deafening, “I shouldn’t have said that,” he acknowledged.

“Then why did you,” demanded Ellie feeling anger boil within her. “Come pick me up,” she begged. She needed him, needed someone who would understand.

Hardy sighed through the phone, “you know I can’t,” he replied.

“You drove the other day. Am I not important enough,” spat Ellie. She turned trying to create distance between her and Claire, “there are two men. They are coming back to her place,” Ellie noted into the receiver hoping that would make some sort of difference. That his house was being run as a hook up spot for women of murders. “I don’t want them. Come over. Please,” she pled.

“Here we go, this one,” shouted Claire as the cab approached.

He was silent on the other line but she could hear his heavy breathing, “we don’t have to do anything. I don’t want you to die,” she tried one more time.

“I have to go Miller,” Hardy ended clicking the phone on her.

Huffing she tensed her body, “bloody arse,” growled Ellie stumbling into the taxi with the three amigos. Claire and her new acquaintance fell into silence as their mouths melded practically fusing together in the car.

To be fair the one designated for her did try his best, tucking Ellie’s hair behind her ear as he swooped in trying to suck the air from her lungs and prodding every hidden corner of his mouth. Hell, he’d make a good DS, leaving no stone unturned. But his perception was lacking thinking she was enjoying his fantastic gifts when Ellie was merely trying to become lost in something that wasn’t her sadness.

Pushing into the room she had stayed in before only the bare minimum of clothing was shed. She tried at first to think of Joe, to remember how it had felt the last time they as if nothing had ever happened and they were still a happy family. But that didn’t help the process as the man now atop of her roughly entered her gyrating back and forth. Her next best option was Hardy. The feel of his beard against her cheek, his long fingers against her flesh but most of all the way he looked at her. His brown eyes caring despite his gruff outer exterior. They knew, they fully understood. “Say you love me,” she begged but her partner was too into finishing to hear any request and came with a grunt falling a top of her. This is what her life had become.

Ellie counted every second until he slipped away into the darkness. Which thankfully had only been fifty three seconds before he had belted his pants, thanked her and closed the door behind him to wait for his partner in crime. Sitting up in the bed Ellie pulled her knees up, hoping that the pressure would ease her aching heart. But it didn’t. Nothing would. Not even when Claire came in and she did her duty to Hardy finding out his required information so she could report back to him like a good puppy as Claire had put it. No, tonight she was doomed another night in bed alone crying herself to sleep. Except tonight she didn’t even have Fred to hold onto.

The knocking on her door was what awoke her the next morning, “come on Miller. Don’t want to be late for court,” Hardy’s rough voice broke through into her nonexistent dreams. “Miller,” he continued.

“Sod off,” she shot grasping for her watch and looking at the time. “Shit,” she sighed crawling out of the covers and hurrying into her regulated dress she had once decided to be her uniform.

He didn’t let up, “Miller we have to go soon,” he pushed.

Throwing the door open Ellie looked at him towering over her, his tie loosely done, shirt wrinkly but yet he was the one she had offered herself up to last night, the one who had turned her down. She reached up tugging his face down to hers as they stumbled backwards onto the bed. Their mouths finding each other’s as she tugged on his tie.

“Miller,” he called, “Miller.”

Taking the coffee from his hand she slammed the door in his face, “I’m not driving you,” she sternly told him drinking the hazelnut treat perfectly just the way she always ordered them.

“We’re going the same place,” he reminded her.

Brushing out her hair she rolled her eyes, “find your own way. You’re good at that when you want to be,” she scolded inhaling another gulp from the one time use cup and opening the door plowing over Hardy.

He however had other ideas following her out as she grabbed her keys, getting in the car before she could lock him out. Begrudgingly Ellie started the car making their way to the courthouse, “Lee came to see me last night,” Hardy began.

“Do I look like I’m in the mood for talking,” she hinted blasting the car radio on the first thing that sounded like music. Ellie recognized the lyrics she had heard Fred’s sitter listening to this before.

Hardy reached for the knob to turn it down. Seeing this out of the corner of her eye Ellie smacked his hand down, “bloody hell Miller,” he barked at her treatment.

“I’m so fancy you already know. I’m in the fast lane from LAtotoyko. I’m so fancy can’t you alreadyknow. Remember my name OOOOOOO,” she belted out skimming over the parts she was unsure about before loudly humming the rest having only heard that part enough to sort of know the words. Thankfully they made it to the court house before Ellie had to pretend to know another song. Pulling into the car park she shut off her car shooting from the driver’s seat least let silence linger between them.

Making her way through security Ellie grabbed a bottle of Alka-Seltzer from the concessions along with a water bottle and another coffee, “let me,” Hardy suggested taking out his wallet.

“No,” she set her foot down paying for her own remedies leaving him in the store. When would he get the hint that she didn’t want to talk to him? Sitting down at a table Ellie began to force open the container.

“Did you find out anything from Claire,” inquired Hardy sitting with a tea.

Ellie rolled her eyes opening the water bottle and taking a swig to settle her stomach. “She said he drugged her with rohypnol,” Ellie recalled.

“Rohypnol? She definitely said rohypnol,” he requested.

Nodding she broke the alka-seltzer tab in half shoving it into the water bottle. “Yeah, she said she woke up to see him cleaning,” she assured him.

“She’s never said any of that before,” Hardy noted.

Shaking her head Ellie took a drink of the now zingy water, “oh why are you being such a fuckwit about this?”

It took a moment for her words to sink in, “sorry,” Hardy asked heaving a breath.

“She lived next door. She had access. Her story’s inconsistent. This woman you’ve been protecting, she’s a suspect,” she said calling him on his stupidity.

Hardy nodded, “I know,” he confessed.

“What? You told me you’ve been protecting her,” she boomed.

“No. I said I was keeping her safe. So she doesn’t abscond,” Hardy explained shifting nervously.

Ellie as livid. He had let her and Fred stay the night there, “how long have you thought this and why didn’t you tell me,” she demanded.

“I needed to know I wasn’t going mad. I needed someone to look at it objectively,” he told her.

Her whole body tensed up. She should really piss in a cup and throw it at him now, “for God’s sake,” Ellie exclaimed.

“Uh oh,” Hardy interrupted nodding to the solicitor coming their way, “I think this is you.”

They both sat up seeing Jocelyn walking towards them, “you’re going to be called,” she began.

“Okay, I’ve done it before,” Ellie assured her.

Jocelyn shook her head, “not like this. Stay calm. Stick to the facts. Don’t get drawn into anything else. Don’t get emotional,” she instructed.

“I know,” she agreed taking a deep breath as Jocelyn gave her a pat walking away. Hardy’s eyes met hers briefly before he watched Jocelyn leave. What did they both know that she didn’t?

“See you on the other side Miller,” he sighed standing up as everyone began to take their places.

Standing outside waiting for the Clerk, Ellie watched everyone leave, Hardy last giving her a nod of encouragement. “Ellie Miller,” the Clerk called leading her into the courtroom and into the box. He handed her a book and piece of laminated paper, “set the book in your right hand and read from the card,” he told her. 

“I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” she read aloud handing the card and Bible back to the clerk. “Police Constable 516, Ellie Miller. Attached to Exter police traffic division. Formerly, detective sergeant attached to Broadchurch CID.”

Standing Jocelyn looked directly at her, “how long have you been married to the defendant Mrs Miller,” she asked.

“Twelve years,” she sighed.

“You have two children correct,” Jocelyn queried.

She nodded, “yes, Tom, seventeen and Fred he’s nearly two,” Ellie answered looking over at the audience box.

“Was it a mutual decision to have children,” pushed Jocelyn.

Ellie thought back to when she first wanted a baby, to the special dinner she made Joe trying to persuade him, “I was probably keener but Joe went along with it,” she admitted.

“What sort of relationship did you have with your husband,” she asked.

All the happy memories were hard to hold onto now. They hurt almost as bad as the truth, “um, good I went to work and he looked after the kids. I loved him.” Her lip started to quiver so she sucked it in avoiding the emotional show.

“How would you describe your relationship with Mark and Beth Latimer,” questioned Jocelyn.

Frowning she took a deep breath, “we were good friends. Beth and I were in the same NCT group. We had Sunday lunches together. Our boys Danny and Tom were best friends,” she explained.

“How curious was your husband about how the investigation was proceeding,” she inquired.

Thinking back she remembered the two incidents that had plagued her ever since she found out, “uh, on the day Danny’s body was found he asked if we knew who did it,” recalled Ellie.

“Was he interested in forensic evidence,” Jocelyn pushed.

Nodding she glanced at the box, “when we found the crime scene he, um, wanted to know what we’d discovered.”

“And had he demonstrated any interest in forensic evidence prior to this case,” she continued.

Blinking back tears she steadied her eyes on Jocelyn, “he knew a bit about it because of his job as a paramedic. He’d been called to a few crime scenes. He knew how evidence was gathered and what made it easy or difficult. She acknowledged glancing up at the man she once loved as his head hung low

“Have you had any contact with Mr Miller since the day of his arrest,” she asked.

Ellie wanted to roll her eyes at the redundancy of these questions, “no,” she replied.

“Did you at any time suspect that your husband was involved in the killing of Danny,” Jocelyn queried.

There it was again. The question everyone wanted to ask but no one believed. Ellie shook her head, “I didn’t. No. I wish I had.”

“Why did you attack him? Your husband in the interview room after his arrest,” she asked.

Feeling her lip quiver she bit the inside of her cheek trying to calm her emotions, “because the man I trusted most in the world had killed the son of our best friend,” her voice broke tears stinging at her eyes.

“So you attacked him not as a police woman attacking a suspect but as a wife confronting a husband,” Jocelyn confirmed.

She nodded, “yes the police had nothing to do with it. It was about him and me,” Ellie confessed.

“Thank you PC Miller. I understand how difficult this must be for you,” Jocelyn said before sitting.

“It is. It’s horrific, her lip wobbled as she looked around trying to compose herself.

The proceeding solicitor stood, “how was your sex life,” she asked

Taken aback it took Ellie a minute to answer, “I don’t know normal how would you describe yours,” she shot back.

“Not frequent enough to be honest but I’m not in the box,” the prosecutor cheekily replied.

“Quite Ms Bishop,” the presiding crown stated reminding her of where she was.

Bishop gave her a nod of acknowledgement before turning back to Ellie, “did you engage in s and m? Bondage? Torture? Fantasy? Violent role play,” she queried.

“No nothing like that,” she shook.

“Did your husband use pornography,” she remained on the same line of questioning.

Trying to hide her scoff of the one memory she had Ellie shook her head, “no.” “One time his mate gave him a DVD. We watched it together and we mostly laughed through it,” she told the story, the only time she had known of.

“Did it involve children,” pushed Bishop.

“No.”

Bishop looked at a list before her, “gay pornography?”

“No.”

“Did he show a predilection for images of children,” she wanted to know.

Her eyes were empty, “not to my knowledge,” Ellie admited.

“Did you either as a wife or as a police officer ever discover images of children in your home or husbands possession,” she inquired.

“No.”

Nodding Bishop slightly shifted, “now would you say that you are a good police officer?”

Ellie shrugged, “I get the job done,” she answered.

“I think you’re being modest. Until recently you’d been on a rather strong career path hadn’t you,” Bishop noted.

She knew where Bishop was going with this, “I did my best,” Ellie supplied.

“And yet as a police officer you didn’t detect any suspicious behavior from your husband,” she stated.

“None,” confirmed Ellie.

“You didn’t any such behaviors because your husband didn’t kill Danny did he,” Bishop tried to suggest.

Her mouth dropped open, “he did kill Danny. He’s not the person I thought he was,” she said looking directly through the box and into his eyes.

“Are you talking as a wife or as a police officer now,” inquired Bishop.

“Both,” Ellie informed the court.

Looking down at her page of notes she looked back t Ellie, “did you take a sleeping pill on the night of Danny Latimer’s death,” she questioned.

“Yes I get terrible jet lag. I have them prescribed,” she explained.

“You didn’t wake up until the next morning is that correct,” supplied Bishop.

Oh how she wished she had at least had to go to the bathroom once, “that’s correct.”

“So as far as you were concerned the next morning he’d been there all night,” she noted.

“That’s what I thought at the time and it turns out not to have been true. Joe knew I’d taken the pills. He must have planned to meet Danny accordingly,” clarified Ellie.

Bishop’s lip almost smirked, “Do you actually know of such a plan,” she questioned.

“No,” Ellie had to admit.

“Then please stick to the facts PC Miller,” she was reminded. “When did you and DI Hardy first start having an affair,” Bishop queried.

She couldn’t believe her ears. She had to have heard that wrong, “what?”

“Is the affair ongoing,” she asked unanswered. “Can I remind you that you are under oath,” continued Bishop waiting for an answer.

“No we’ve never had an affair,” Ellie declared.

“Again can I remind you PC miller that you are on oath,” Bishop practically gloated.

Jocelyn stood shocked, “my lady where is the evidence?”

“Coming to that now my lady,” assured Bishop.

“Well you won’t find any cause it never happened. He couldn’t even if I wanted to. His bloody heart would give out,” interrupted Ellie.

Ignoring her outburst she continued, “the night of your husbands arrest where were you?”

“We’d gone to a hotel because we had to leave our house I left my kids with my sister because I went to see Beth, Mrs Latimer,” she recalled.

Bishop nodded as if she already new that, “why,” she questioned.

Bloody hell who was on trial here? “I felt I needed to,” Ellie confessed meeting Beth’s eyes.

“And then what did you do? Where did you go PC Miller,” she pushed.

The realization hit Ellie like a dozen bricks, “I went to see DI Hardy she broke glancing over in his direction before thinking better of it.

“Where? Where did you go to see DI Hardy,” Bishop questioned.

Ellie licked her lips trying to hide the need it had to tremble. She was innocent here, “the Traders Hotel,” she noted.

“In his hotel room,” suggested Bishop.

Nodding she wished she could melt into a puddle, “yes,” Ellie admitted.

“Were you alone,” she continued to lead Ellie down the road she wanted her on.

Fuck. Why had she done that? “Yes,” she continued.

“How long were you there for,” Bishop asked of Ellie.

An hours? Half an hour? She wasn’t sure. It was a long talk, “I don’t know,” she said unable to recall.

“According to CCTV footage you entered the hotel around 1137 pm and left just after a quarter to 2. Over two hours. What did you and DI Hardy do alone in his hotel room for two hours on the night that he’d arrested and you’d beaten up the defendant your husband,” Bishop queried.

Thankfully not what she had been wanting to last night. How could she have been so stupid? “We talked,” she explained.

“You talked? You left your two children on the night that their father was arrested for well over two hours to go and see DI Hardy in a hotel to talk,” Bishop accused unbelieving.

She swallowed hard, “I needed to make sense of what had happened,” Ellie pleaded for the jury to understand.

“You colluded that night to frame the defendant your husband to get him out of the way because you were having an affair with DI Hardy didn’t you,” she accused again.

“No! I hated him. He took my job,” Ellie rebuked turning toward Joe who knew better, “is this how you think you’re going to win? By twisting the truth and distorting all our lives,” she spat.

Bishop didn’t miss a beat, “and isn’t it the case that this investigation missed key opportunities and failed to examine leads because it was compromised by your personal liaisons with DI Hardy and together you put an innocent man in the doc?”

“No totally untrue and you’ve got no evidence for this. I am not the guilty one here. I am not,” she broke but the damage had already been done.

“Thank you PC Miller,” Bishop said resting. Ellie glanced over at Beth and Mark. The looks of utter disgust on their face. She didn’t know where to look because the only friendly face everyone would be waiting for her to look to. They had all already made their minds up.

Waiting for the Clerk to release her Ellie tried to remain her composed and not run directly in to the bathroom stall she had acquainted herself with a few weeks before. She sat for a while praying that Hardy would know better than trying to come in there after her or wait around. She could hear the noise outside die down but wasn’t ready to leave, her cheeks still puffy from crying. Startling her, her phone rang. Looking down at the caller ID it was Hardy. She didn’t want to talk to him but she had to know, “did you know,” Ellie asked answering her phone.

“No,” Hardy sighed.

Ellie didn’t want to say what she was thinking but she had to get it out of her mind, “we just lost the case didn’t we,” she sunk.

There was silence at the other end with the sounds of the road, he must be in a taxi Ellie figured. “I hope not,” he promised unable to say much more than that. “Miller, I,” began Hardy.

“No. You have to work on your case alone. I can’t be seen with you,” she stated hanging up before he had a chance to respond. What she may have wanted last night, what she wanted right now, none of that could happen. Joe had ruined her life and was keen on continuing that until everyone paid for the crimes he committed.


End file.
